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[Ding! Dimensional Gate charging complete. Please provide anchor world coordinates.]
[Ding! Anchoring world coordinates...]
[Ding! World coordinates successfully anchored! Based on the Host's memories, the target world has been identified as Binchou-tan. Begin crossing?]
"NO!"
The moment Kaito opened his eyes, the System was already bombarding him with notifications.
"Binchou-tan, huh." He stared at the ceiling. "Guess I'll have to make a quick trip over and bring those poor kids back."
Then he paused.
"Actually... the Dimensional Gate is basically useless to me at this point."
He spread his divine sense outward, reaching across the countless worlds scattered throughout the secondary dimension. Breaking through world barriers now felt about as difficult as opening a door.
[I see somebody's getting cocky again.]
'System, do you have to ruin my mood first thing in the morning?'
[What are you gonna do about it?]
'Smack you.'
[I'd like to see you try.]
Slap!
A moment of silence.
[...]
[Fine. You win.]
[That was completely uncalled for.]
'Hmph. That's what you get.'
Click.
The bedroom door opened and Sakuya stepped in, carrying a tray of toiletries. She took one look at him and stopped.
"...Master?"
"Hm?"
"What happened to your face?"
Kaito blinked. "My face?"
"Your right cheek is bright red."
"Cough. Mosquito."
"...Mosquito?"
"Yep."
"You got attacked by a mosquito?"
"Yep."
Sakuya slowly looked around the room. With the Royal Knights stationed throughout the residence, she sincerely doubted a mosquito could survive long enough to make it through the front door.
"Gargle gargle... ptooey."
After he finished brushing his teeth, he caught the look on her face and immediately changed the subject.
"Forget about the mosquito. We've got more important things." He stood up and stretched. "Let's go. Rimuru and the others have probably been waiting forever."
"Yes, Master."
By the time Kaito made it downstairs, everyone was already assembled in the hall.
"Kai-chan!"
"Yo."
Milim immediately puffed up her cheeks. "You're finally awake! What took you so long? Even I was up before you!"
Kaito gave her a flat look. If he'd deliberately stayed in bed, that was one thing. Milim, on the other hand, couldn't wake up before noon if her life depended on it. Honestly, he was a little jealous.
"Alright, enough. Let's move."
"Okay!"
Dressed in formal attire, Kaito and the others boarded a carriage flanked by a Royal Knight escort. The moment he saw the enormous beast-like creatures harnessed to it, a headache started forming behind his eyes.
"Can somebody explain why we're in a carriage? Don't we have cars? Why are we doing this medieval roleplay thing?"
Rimuru looked equally helpless. "Rigurd's idea."
"Of course it was."
"He insisted it was the proper way to display royal dignity."
Kaito gave up immediately. When it came to ceremonies and appearances, arguing with Rigurd was a lost cause.
The carriage rolled through the city and onto the bustling central avenue. Imperial Guard soldiers lined both sides of the street, keeping the enormous crowds in order while citizens pressed forward, craning for a first look at the procession. The event was being broadcast live across every world governed by the Jura Tempest Federation. Since it was a national holiday, most people had simply stayed home to watch.
"They're here!"
"Look! It's Kaito-sama and Rimuru-sama!"
"And behind them! Milim-sama and Veldora-sama!"
"Ohhhhh!!!"
"Long live Kaito-sa..."
Mmmph!
A hand clamped over the goblin's mouth before he could finish.
"Are you trying to get Kaito-sama killed?!"
The goblin blinked. Then realization hit. "Oh crap. I got carried away."
Meanwhile, Kaito smiled and waved to the crowds. Scanning the faces along the avenue, he started picking out familiar ones. Mrs. Kamado stood beside her husband, both watching the procession with calm, respectful expressions. Nezuko stood nearby, her younger brother at her side.
Not far from them, Tamayo had somehow managed to set up a figurine stall. During a national holiday. During the biggest conference in Federation history. She was still selling figurines. That level of dedication was honestly terrifying.
Then something else caught his eye.
Wait. Was that Kanazawa? And Ishii?
Why were they holding hands?
PS: Kanazawa and Ishii are from Girls' Last Tour.
"Kaito Nii! Over here!"
He looked up at the familiar voice. Enju, Ririka, Yuuri, and several others were waving from a floating platform overhead. Kaito laughed and waved back.
Elsewhere in the crowd, things were less dignified.
"Luffy! Stop eating!"
Nami's eye twitched as she watched Luffy shovel grilled meat into his mouth at an alarming rate, completely oblivious to the procession passing right in front of him.
"Kaito and Rimuru are literally right there!"
"Mmph... but this stuff is amazing."
Luffy didn't even look up. Chopper nodded vigorously beside him, clutching a giant cotton candy.
"He's right, you should try some too, Nami!"
Nami stared at the two of them and felt her soul quietly leaving her body.
"I never should've brought you two." She clutched her wallet like it was a dying relative. "My savings are vanishing right before my eyes..."
Vivi laughed. "Oh, come on. Let them enjoy themselves. It's not every day we get something like this."
"You're way too soft on them."
Inside a three-story building overlooking the avenue, Sona sat by the window watching the procession below. Across from her, Rias sipped tea with a sideways glance outside.
"You're really not going down?"
Sona smiled. "Kaito-sama is practically right outside. Why aren't you going?"
Rias smirked back. Sona rested her chin on her hand and turned back to the window.
"Because the distance between us is still too great." Her voice was calm and unhurried. "But I'll get there eventually. One day I'll stand beside him. That's why I'm staying here."
Just then, Akeno, Tsubaki, and several other girls arrived carrying trays piled high with desserts.
"President! Chairwoman! Come eat something first. The conference broadcast is about to start."
The two of them glanced toward the large screen mounted on the wall and nodded. Rias suddenly remembered something.
"I heard Serafall-sama is attending the conference as Kuoh Academy's Headmaster, alongside Chairwoman Shizu."
Sona nodded. "And your brother will be there too. As a senior government official."
Rias laughed. "When you put it that way... this conference probably has more important people in it than anyone realizes."